Water floating or concentrating machine



J. W. THOREAU WATER FLOATING 0R CONCENTRATING MACHINE Filed April 22, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 N w sn ucvvto'b JoH/v W. 71/02/540,

Wwwza April 23, 1940. J, w, THOREAU 2,198,296

WATER FLOATING 0R CONCENTRATING MACHINE Filed April 22, 1938 2 Shee ts-Sheet 2 ZLWMMTM JOHN W Dora mu Patented Apr. 23, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFlQE WATER FLOATING 0R CONCENTRATING MACHINE 6 Claims.

with milled ore, placer mining recoveries, fine gold, silver and platinum.

The primary object of this invention is to provide an apparatus of the type in question, which,

while relatively simple in construction, is extremely high in efficiency in that it is capable of handling a continuous supply of milled ore, placer recoveries and the like, together with the requisite amount of water, and of separating the material, through floatation, whereby the desired minerals are made available for further handling.

More specifically the invention includes a rearwardly inclined tank having a clean out plug at its lowest point, a rotating cylinder, shown in telesoc-pic form, positioned and arranged for partially submerged rotation within the tank, drive, feed, and discharge means for the cylinder, and means for receiving the tailings, light concentrates and disposal of the overflow orwaste water.

Other features will more clearly hereinafter appear by reference to the accompanying drawings and. specification, and wherein like characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation,

Figure 2 is a top plan view,

Figure 3 is a vertical longitudinal section through the apparatus, and

Figure i is a rear elevation.

The apparatus may be supported by any suitable frame which in the present instance includes base members i of wood or structural steel and a plurality of uprights 2 positioned to connect with and secure the side and end walls of the parts embodied in the apparatus. The uprights are secured at their upper ends to horizontal upper frame members 3, which combine to support and brace the various parts of the assembly.

Supported by the frame is the main settling tank including rearwardly and downwardly inclined semi-cylindrical body 5 with front wall 6 and rear wall 7. The rear wall is provided with clean out opening 8 closed by cap 9, the opening being formed at the lowermost point in the tank structure. The upper portion of the wall I is provided with an opening near its upper central portion and this opening is closed by a plate l0 locked into position by suitable means as thumb screws H. The front wall 6 which defines the front end of the tank 5 is in supporting engagement with the frame and partition 6 positioned intermediate the front and rear walls 6 and l is cut away at its upper central portion to provide for the positioning of the rotating cylinder as hereinafter more fully set forth.

Positioned at the front of the body 5 and depending therebeneath is the compartment or hopper for reception of the tailings. This hopper (Cl. 209--451) is defined at its top by side wall portion l2, downwardly inclined walls l5 form a funnel-shaped bottom and discharge spout is complete the structure. The hopper is flanged upwardly at its front end to connect with the front wall 6 and its rear is secured to the bottom of the tank 5 at approximately a point immediately below the tailings discharge. The walls of this hopper are supported by frame members 2 and 3 as shown. An opening it in the tank 5 permits the discharge of the tailings from the cylinder to the hopper compartment. The trap for the light concentrates is of rectangular form, extending from side wall to side wall of the frame and resting upon the base thereof. The trap is formed of end walls It, front wall I9, and rear wall 29. The lower portion of the rear wall 28 is inclined forwardly and the bottom part of the front wall it is inclined rearwardly to restrict the width of the light concentrate trap and to secure a more positive settling of the concentrates in their travel with the liquid and underthe baffle 2!. The bafiie 2i extends between the end walls 18 and projects downwardly into the trap at a point substantially below the outlet spout 22 and above the bottom The position of the partition 2! is approximately in vertical alignment with the junction withthe bottom 23 of the trap and the rearwardly inclined lower portion of the front wall l9 thereof. The trap structure is braced by its engagement with the frame members, as in the instance of the other elements involved in the assembly.

A pair of driven shafts 25 extend through bearings 26 in the rear wall 1 of the tank and the front wall 6 of the tank, the bearings being supported by braces 2'! fixed to these parts. The shafts 25 are spaced to each side of the longitudinal center line of the tank 5 and are sufficiently far apart to permit the positioning and arrangement of the cylinder 30, which cylinder rests upon rollers or bearings 3| on the shaft 25. Straps 32 provide reinforcing tracks for the cylinder 30 and normally engage the rollers or bearings 3!. The shafts 25 are simultaneously driven from the source of power 33 and through sprocket chain 3 and sprockets 35 on the ends of the shafts. To retain the cylinder against forward shifting movement guide rollers 36 are provided, these guide rollers being supported on brackets 3i and normally engaging the front flange 38 of the cylinder. The rear of the cylinder is formed with inwardly projecting guard flanges 3!) which are of substantial width and yet provide sufficient clearance for the positioning of the feed spout it. The feed spout includes an upper box portion mounted in the auxiliary frame 42, projecting from the rear uprights 2 of the main frame, and a downwardly extending nozzle 43 which extends into the cylinder and has a discharge end 44 directed downwardly Vertically within the cylinder substantially below the normal Water line to be maintained therein. The support and arrangement of the feed means is essential inasmuch as. the partition or bafile 45 is supported at its inner end by the wall of the feed nozzle. This baflie or partition 45 is in. the nature of an upright elongated plate spaced slightly above the inner wall of the cylinder and extending throughout its length at such a level that the normal fluid line in the cylinder substantially intersects a medial line drawn longitudinally therethrough. The outer end of the bafiie or partition 45 extends beyond the end of the cylinder to a point substantially in vertical alignment with the front wall 6 of the trap and is fixed to the bracket 41 depending from cross bar 48. The cross bar 48 extends between the side rails l4 and is connected thereto for supporting purposes. The discharge pan 46 extends from the wall 5 rearwardly to the mouth of the cylinder and has forwardly converging sides which rest upon the inwardly extending flange 49 provided on the side guides 49. The pan is removable by a rearward sliding movement during disassembly. The side guides 49 are secured at their front ends to the front wall 6 and at their rear end to the partition 6' .as best shown in Figure 2. The spout receiving the flow from the pan includes the bottom 50 and upwardly extending side walls 5| which latter form a continuation of the guides on deflectors 49 of the discharge pan. The gauge 53 includes the side walls 54 which latter are pivoted at 55 to the side Wall 5i of the spout, thus permitting free movement of the gauge as determined by the flow of fluid from the cylinder.

In use the milled ore of placer mining recoveries, together with a suitable amount of water, are fed into the feed box 45 from which they discharge vertically downwardly through the nozzle 44 into the cylinder. The tank 5 is normally full of Water to a level approximating the medial longitudinal line of the baffle 45 which extends through the cylinder 30 into the discharge trough. The drum is continuously rotated through the source of power 32 and the rotation of this drum picks up portions of the recoveries or ore particles and carries them about the inner cylinder circumference to be floated in or upon the liquid in the cylinder.

The baflie 45 intercepts the transverse movement of the gold or other mineral particles and guides them in their travel towards the pan 46.

As the cylinder is rotated the tailings from the cylinder are discharged into the hopper I5 and through the hopper spout and may be conveyed to a suitable source of disposal. The light concentrate discharges from the cylinder onto the pan, the level of the latter being fixed at a suitable point in the liquid level of the cylinder, thus the material is directed by the guide plates through the trough and against the pivoted gauge pan into the trap. The trough terminating above the trap discharges into the latter, the concentrates being deposited into the trap and the water discharging under the baflle 2| and through the discharge opening 22.

In the form illustrated in this application, the

cylinder 30 is shown as formed of a series of tele-' this form, which is desirable in view of the available adjustments, a solid cylinder might be utilized. In the event that the structure is in telescopic form the cylinder sections will be secured together and in adjusted position by suitable means such as slot 30' and bolt 30" or they may be maintained in relative position due to friction between the parts forming the assembly.

Various changes in details of construction and arrangement of parts may be made without modifying the operative assembly.

What I claim is:

1. In a continuous float concentrating apparatus, a supporting frame, a tank for containing liquids supported by said frame, a horizontally arranged rotating cylinder positioned in said tank partially below its liquid level, a feed chute for said cylinder, a discharge trough therefor, a baflle plate in said cylinder supported at one end by the feed chute and at the other end forming a portion of the discharge trough and extending beyond the discharge end of the cylinder, said baffle plate being normally partially submerged, and a trap under said discharge trough.

2. In a continuous float concentrating apparatus, a supporting frame, a tank having a rearwardly and downwardly inclined bottom portion for containing liquid, a discharge for said tank adjacent the lower portion .or" its inclined bottom, a horizontally arranged rotating cylinder positioned in said tank partially below its liquid level, an independently supported feed chute opening into one end of said cylinder, an elongated baffle plate connected to and supported by one end of said feed chute and extending through the opposite end of said cylinder, said bafile plate extending above and below the normal liquid level in said cylinder, a discharge trough for said cylinder and a support for said bafiie fixed to said trough.

3. The substance of claim 2 characterized in that a hopper for tailings is positioned below the discharge end of said cylinder.

' 4. The substance of claim 2 characterized in that a trap is positioned below the discharge trough for receiving the light concentrates there from.

5. The substance of claim 2 characterized in that a trap is positioned below the trough for receiving the light concentrate and a pivoted control is fixed to the end of the trough above the trap.

6. In a continuous float concentrating apparatus, a tank for containing liquids, a horizontally arranged rotating cylinder positioned in said tank and extending beyond one of its walls, said tank being normally partially submerged in the liquid in said tank, an elongated bafiie extending longitudinally within the tank and arranged above and below the liquid level thereof, an independently supported feed trough extending into said cylinder said bafile being supported at one end by the feed trough and intercepting the movement of the light concentrates during the rotation of the cylinder, an adjustable discharge arranged to receive the floating concentrates from said cylinder, a lower discharge for the tailings from said cylinder, and means supporting said cylinder for rotating within said tank.

JOHN W. THOREAU.

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